Google Chrome 21 is out

Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier. Google Chrome version 21.0.1180.60 (21.0.1180.57 for Mac and Linux) is out, fixing 15 security vulnerabilities in the search giant’s browser. Strictly from a security perspective, you should upgrade as soon as possible and download the latest version of Chrome directly from google.com/chrome.

For Chrome 21, Google paid security researchers a grand total $2,000 in rewards as part of its bug bounty program. This payout is smaller than usual since Google found most of the vulnerabilities this time, using its own AddressSanitizer tool.

Still, Mountain View recently quintupled its maximum bug bounty to $20,000. The company has so far received about 800 qualifying vulnerability reports that span across the hundreds of Google-developed services, as well as the software written by 50 or so firms it has acquired. In just over a year, the program has paid out around $460,000 to roughly 200 individuals.

For the record, Google Chrome 20 was released just five weeks ago (and then updated again three weeks ago). At the time, I expected Chrome 21 to be released “sometime in August.” It turns out I was off by a day.